Apparatus for the treatment of ores and for the electrolytic deposition of gold and silver and other metals from solutions containing said metals.



p the portion of to same scale as Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a plan ot' Animalieres Een THE TREATMENT rrr.

FREDERICK CAPEL BROWN, or KoivrATa,

NEW ZEALAND.

OF GRES AND FQREHE ELECTROLYTIC DISPOSITION" OF GOLD ANI) SILVER AND OTHER METALS `Illtollt( SOLUTIQNS 4COllJCtlIIITGr SAID METALS.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known vthat I, FREDERICE CAPEL BRoWN, a subject of His Majesty the King 'of the UnitedcKingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, resident of Komata;` in the Provincial District of Auckland and Colony Vof New Zealand, mine superintendent, have invented improvements in apparatus for the treatment of ores and for the electrolytic deposition of gold and silver and other metals r'omsolutions containing said metals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention hasreference to an improved apparatus for circulating, agitating and mixing crushed ore or the like in a liquid or semi-liquid state by compressed air or gas, and is specially applicable to such ores as require both amalgamation and subsequent treat-ment by a chemical process, such as the cyanid process, as during 'the agita tion of the ore any free gold or silver can be amalgamated, and the gold and silver dissolved bythe cyanid solution can be elect-rolytically` deposited, and in a modified form of the" apparatus the electrolytic deposition of metals from solutions canbe carried out.`

By means of this invention the treatment of a certain class of oresis simplified and cheapened.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying seven drawings in whiche- Figure l is an elevation of one form of the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the lower portion of the same drawn to an enlarged scale, Fig. 3 is a plan of the top of the apparatus showing1 distributing launder and top plates, Fig/4t 1s a vertical section of a square topped tank, drawn the top of a square topped tank drawn to salme scale as Fig. 4, Fig. G is a plan of the lower portion of the apparatus showing one arrangement of pipes' in the cone, drawn to same scaleas Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of one form of the modiiied apparatus for-'treating solutions,

'llu apparatus is a tall cylindrical 'verti- Specification of Letters Patent. Appiicann mea august 5, 19o?.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911. Serial No. 387,162.

cal tank or vessel A in which is centrally or otherwise mounted or held in position a material 'conducting pipe B, open at both ends and which extends upwardly from near the bottom of the tank to a point near the upper part ,of the tank. The tank has an inverted cone shaped bottom A and a suitable 4means C connected to an air compressor or other air supply for admitting a supply of compressed air or gas into .the lower end of the pipe B, and a suitable ineansG for supplying compressed air or gas at the outsideof the lower end of pipe B, and an arrangement of pipes D and D rovided with pipes or jets (Z and d for delivering and distributing solution, water or air or a mixture of these from the pipes 8 and S) into the conical bottom of the tank (see Fig. 6) so as to soften or loosen any material that may settle there, this operation being necessary at the starting of the agitation of sandy material,A

and also when discharging material after treatment. Electrodes are arranged at the bottom of. the tank and also at the top of the pipe B. The cathode E atthe bottom of the tank consists ot a plate or plates or shallow basi-u made of copper or other suitable material, ofthe tank, amalgamated with or containA ing mercury: the anode or anodes F are made ot' iron, carbon, lead or other suitable material. Means are provided as hereafter shown for supplying mercury to and for drawing it olf from the said plate or plates or basin E. The cathodes Gr at the top of the tank consist of one or more copper or other suitable plates arranged so that they slope downward from a distributing launder H, or other distributing device, into which the pipe B discharges, means being provided for distributing mercury over said plate or plates, any excess of. mercury either passing to the cathode E at the bottom of the tank or l, being conducted away by a separate means: the anodes l are ot iron carbon or other suitable material. The plate, plates or shallow basin lil may be used tor-auml# gamating the free gold and :silver in the being separate from or partl ore, eitliei' in conjunction with plates G, oi b v themselves. llates G may also be used alone for amalgainating the free gold and silver in the ore then it is advisable to have the plates `r oi' electrodes (l and l oty rectangular tank with its bottoni sloping `follows :--The ore downward towai'd the lower end of pipe or pipes B open at both ends and arrangedcentrally or otherwise within the tank. C

. is a means of admitting air into the bottom of pipe or pipes B. Electrodes are arranged at the bottom of the tank and also at the top of pipe or pipes B. These lelectrodes consist of copper or other 'suitable plates E and G and suitable anodes F and I. The pipe or pipes B discharge into a distributing launder H. K and K are, deflectors for distributing the flow ot solution in the tank and are made of .iron or other material. i is a well or trough at the `bottoni of the tank into which the solution flows before it is drawn up pipe or pipes B, and into which the mercury from the cathodes E and G gravitates, means being provided for drawing off this mercury and distributing it. upon the cathodes E and Gr.

The method of usingthe apparatus is as ng or piilverizing maehin'es is introduced into the tank A, usuallyv at the top, or it may be pumped in at the bottom, and when necessary, it is allowed to settle so as to decant otf any superfluous water or solution from the top. The agitation ot the charge is now started by introducing solution,

water or air, Ior a mixture of these into the' coni al bottom of the, tank through pipe tl into pipe D which supplies pipes or-jets (Z, and when the material in the tank has risen to within a short distancey ot the top o'tl the pipeB, compressed air is admitted at the bottom of the. pipe B through pipe C with the result that a mixture of sand and slime, solution oi water and air risesl through aud is discharged trom the top ot pipe B. .\t'ter a short time the supply of solution, water or air or the mixture of them is changed Jfrom pipe D through pipe 8 into pipe D which supplies pipesv or jets al, and these jets cause the body of sand or like material in the tank to settle down and in a short time thi` whole charge in the tank becomes a homogeneous mixture ot solution and sand as it is drawn into the bottom of the pipe B and delivered at the 4top of the tank so rapidly that it has no chanceI 'to settle.' As soon'as the surface of the mixture in the tank has risen to the top-of pipe B the solution or water is shutotf from pipe D and the agitation of comino' trom the grind-- so as to loosen amv material packed on the outsideot' the bottom of pipe-B, and this means of .supplying air is also required in some eases to keep th'el agitation of the ina- -terial going during the filling and the emptying of the tank. When it is required to treat the ore b r amalgamation only, mercur", is suppliedto the plate, plates or basinv li at the bottom of the tank, and as the ore in being drawn into the bottom of pipe B, continuously passes over this mercury, any

' free gold or silver is amalgamated. In

some eases the amalgamation is performed by using plate or plates G. or both the amalgamating devices E and G may be used together. ln order to precipitate the dissolved gold and silver electrolytically, a suitable current of electricity from a dvnaino or other supply of electricity is supplied to the electrodesll and F, and G and at the top and bottom ot the tank, or in some cases only one set of electrodes is used .with the result that af large percentage'of the dissolved gold and silveris dcpositedat the cathodes E and G, or at E or G' where may one set ot' electrodes is used. When the deposition of the gold and silver has roeeeded as tar as is desired, the supply of) air is shut ofi." and the charge in the tank is alin the tank consisting of pipes D and D. andv jets (Z and jets (lmay in some cases besubstituted by an interior vessel or chamber which has nozzles, pipes or apertures for the admission of liquid or air or a mixture of these to the conical part f the tank..1 The Isaid interior vessel is connected withv the common supply of liquid or air or both and may be used instead of or in addition' to device D and D and d and d. The sai`d-- inpreferred, the whole charge,

terior vessel may be fitted to the tank in anyappropriate manner and'may be arranged' to be raised and lowered 01' it may be made in one picco with the said tank.` An exterior vessel with pipes or nozzles pro'ecting through and into the conical part ofI the tank may also be used for the purpose specified. v

The method of using the modified form of the apparatus for treating metal bearing solutions is on the same general lines as that described above for treating ores.

The novelty of the ftppaiatus consists of the combination of arrangements by means of which a lar e quantity of either ground ore or slimcs or other like material can the sediment on the walls of the lower part plates G and fall from oil' them down into Ioutside the lowei.' end of the circulating pi pe be filled into the tank, allowed to settle so als to get rid of the superflous Water or solution lby decantation when required, and i mixed with eyanid, or other suitable solu tion and` brought to a perfect state of agitation and Whle this agitation vor circulation is ygoing on the free gold and silver can be amalgamated and the other gold and silver contents of the ore can be dissolved and deposited on the cathodes'- in the -form of amalgam by the agency of the electrodes charged with electricity as stated.,

The mercury is fed into the tank or vessel A from the trough M which is mount-ed over the openings between the plates G and I so that on the trough M being slightly turned the mercurywithin it will pass through the perforations N and run down on to the the'inverted cone A and into the cup E at the. bottom thereof. The mercury is poured into the hoppers or openings l and runs. therefrom 'into the trough M which is perforated at N asshown and marked The valve 1 regulates air supply C, the valve i2 regulates air supply C', the rods 3 and 4 support the pipe B, the rods 5 and G support the pipesl) and D"respec tively, the rod 7 supports the anodes and the pipes Sand 9 supply the pipes D and D.

These improvements are worked in connection with the apparatus described in the specification of U. S. Letters Patent, No. 791,872. f

Having fully described my invention what Idesire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is l l. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination ot' a vessel for the reception of ore pulp, a circulating pipe within said vessel and open at its opposite ends, a fluid supply pipe extending tlirough said first mentioned pipe, a second fluid supply pipe disposed exteriorly of the'first mentioned pipe, and an electro deposition device disposed in the path of the ore pulp circulating through said pipe.

2. In an apparatus ol. the class described, the combination of a vessel for the reccijition of ore pulp, a circulating` pipe within said vessel and open at its opposite ends, aI tluid supply pipe communicating with the interior ot tbe circulating pipe at its lower end, means for supplying lluid under pressure and Within the tank, ineans tor agitating ol" the vessel, and an electro deposition device disposed in thepatli of the ore pulp circulating through said circulating pipe.

l 3. ln an api'ia'ratus otl the class described, the combination o't' a vessel 'For the reception oi" ore pulp, a circulating pipe Within the vessel and open at its oppositie ends, a fluid supply pipe coiniiiunicating with the circulating pipe, means l'or proilucing a prelnninary agitation of the mixture in the vessel,

| tu'o electro deposition devices in the vessel at siiperposed points and disposed in th(` path of the ore pulp circulating through said circulating pipe, and means t'or supplying an amalgainating substance to at least one o1" said electro deposition devices.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination ot a vessel having a conical bottoni and adapted to receive the material to be treated, a conducting pipe arranged centrally therein and terminating at a point removed from the bottoni thereof, means 'tor circulating pulp through the pipe and into the vessel, and electro deposition devices -in the vessel, disposed in proximitv tothe open ends ot' the pipe.

ln an apparatus ol the class described a tank havin;r a conical base, a centrallyv situated circulating pipe open at both ends, the loujer end being near thc apex otl the conical base and thc upper end near the top ot' thc-tank, mains tor supplying` a tluid littinig medium into the lower end ot' the aforesaid pipe, and precious metal extractiupv devices near the tuo ends of the pipe.

(I. l'n ai. apparatus ol the class described,` a tall -cylindrical tank having a conical base, a centrall situated circulating pipe open at both ends, the lower end being near the apex ot the conical base and the upper end near the top o'l the tank, means tor supplyingr a fluid lifting` medium into the lower end ol' thel aforesaid pipe, and electro-depositing devices near tlie tivo ends oil the pipe.

7. In an apparatus ot the class described, a tank having a conical base, a cci'itrally situated circulating pipe open at both ends, tbe lower end being near the apex ot the conical base and the upper end near tlie top of the tank, means tor supplying a fluid lifting medium into the lower end ol the aforesaid pipe, electrodepositing devices near the tivo ends ol' the pipe, and vmeans l'or supplying' mercury to the upper ot the two electiii-depositing devices.

S. ln an apparatus ol the class described` a tall tank having a conical base, a ccntrally situated circulating' pipi.` open at both ends, tlic lowcr end being near llic apexP ol the conical base and thc upper end near the top ol' the tank. means :loi' supplying a lluid iodo tilting medium into thc lower end ol the aforesaid pipe, means l'or supplying a l'luid medium outside the lower end of the said pipe, means 't'or supplying a fluid niediuin to agitato the sediment that tends to collecti on the wall el the conical base, and a precious metal extract ing device near one end of the pipe.

t). ln an apparat-us of the class described, a tall cylindrical tank having a conical base,

:l vmll'rnlly situated Circulating pipe open at i fonds to collect on the Wall of lche conical both omis, Hul lowur end being near the apex base. :md precious metal extracting devices ni the conivnl huso and the upper end near 110m' the two ends of the pipe.

the (op of the funk, means 'for supplying FREDERICK CAPEL BRUWN.

:1 fluid lifting medium into lthe lower end of Witnesses: the aforesaid pipe, menus for supplying GEORGE WlLLIAM BASLEY, :1 fluid medium to agitato the sediment that HILDA MAY FBOUDE. 

